THE FIVE

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 165

Don’t ya just love it when your (fairly new) tech gadget becomes dysfunctional? My office manager’s desktop’s internal fan decided it was gonna go kaput. She went to power up Monday, and up popped a BIOS message: ERROR 0135: System Fan Failure.

I was hoping there was a quick fix, like updating the system BIOS (that basic programming that tells your computer what to do). But I couldn’t figure out how to do that, and I like to consider myself tech-savvy enough. And like many gadgets these days, one can’t just disassemble and replace a part. One’s gotta go to the mechanic.

When you live in the sticks, ya gotta drive to where the tech geeks live. For us, that’s an hour away. So first thing this AM, I zipped over to the office, made up a sign saying I’d be gone all day, and grabbed Jenn’s Lenovo AIO. A few minutes later, I was back in the car and headed toward Mankato. And goodness, the wind on the way over! I think I saw the Wicked Witch and her broom today flying around in the swirl.

Anywho, an hour later, I arrived just on time for my appointment with the Geek Squad. I was wishing and hoping it was gonna be a quick fix. But nope, we had to send it off. Thank the good Lord, though, the repair should be MUCH cheaper than purchasing a new system.

Anyway, after I finished my business there, I took advantage of my location and dashed over to the mall. I’ve got five kids (not mine) who’ll be confirming their faith this weekend, and I wanted to get them some gifts to bless their faith. Julia, if you’re reading this, you’re just gonna have to wait a few days to find out what that is. Hahaha.

About Julia and her peers, though. They, “The Five,” are the reason for my post today.

For the past year, six Gen Alpha young teens have gathered together as our 2026 catechumens. Weekly, like a drill sergeant, I’d shout out “CREED,” and the kids would pop tall in their chairs and begin to recite the ancient statements of faith.

As a side note—and this is good for all us old-farts to consider also—if all our Bibles suddenly were prohibited and confiscated, then what you could hold onto are the Creeds. No matter how evil or totalitarian, no force on this earth, under this earth, or even in the dark places of the heavenly realms can take away your faith, OR that which has been written into your gelatinous hard-drive (aka your mind) that resides behind your eyes.

Anywho, five of the six are affirming their baptisms this Sunday. This is after two solid years of learning the Bible, taking sermon notes, serving in and outside the church walls, pressing into some hard subjects, and having to prove to their pastor they’re each owning their faith for themselves. When I was their age, I remember having to do more... but then again, when I was their age, I don’t remember a thing of what I learned other than one story, and that’s a story for another time.

Wait, you wanna hear it now? Okay, you twisted my arm. THE ONLY THING I remember from my three years in confirmation was the associate pastor (who taught us all three years) coming in one Wednesday, writing down every cuss word on the chalkboard, and then explaining the true origins of what they meant. What that had to do with working out our salvation, that I can’t tell ya.

But I do remember that, and a couple other things, like going to a Lutheran kids conference and seeing a bunch of teens “hook up” in the hotel, and also getting smashed in Duluth with our “sister church” up there. Yah… “my kids” in confirmation now? I think they’re doing better than we did then. Squirrel...

Let’s get back to it and land this bird, shall we?

Tonight, I’m thankful for all six of these kids, and specifically, the five who’ll be confirmed this Sunday. Each kid is unique; each created in the image of our God. Each one struggled, laughed, cried, and had to deal with stuff in life that my generation never did at their age. And while I wish they were all further in their faith than they are, as you heard, comparatively, I think they’re doing okay.

Prayerfully, their faith will mature as they age. For them, that is my prayer, that God finishes in them what He began 13-14 years ago

Father, bless “the five” as they finish this chapter and begin a new one. Continue doing a good work in them, bringing them closer to You, daily working out their salvation in Christ our Lord. Amen.